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Inflorescence considerably lengthening in fruit, (1.5) 2.5–16 × 1.5 × 2.5 (3) cm., axis more or less densely furnished with flexuose whitish hairs, formed of numerous densely set partial inflorescences comprising three or four fertile flowers, two central and solitary and the others subtended by a modified sterile flower on each side; partial inflorescences soon falling in fruit, the persistent bracts strongly deflexed.
Outer 2 tepals of fertile flowers linear-oblong, c. 6–7 mm. long, green centrally with 3 distinct ribs (the midrib distinctly excurrent in a fine, yellowish arista) broadly hyaline-margined, furnished with long, whitish multicellular hairs; inner 3 tepals similar but c. 1 mm. shorter, more narrowly hyaline-margined and somewhat widened at the base.
Leaves narrowly lanceolate to broadly elliptic or ovate, subacute to acuminate, those of the main stem and large branches 2.5–10 × 0.8–4.5 cm., moderately white pilose on both surfaces or more densely so below, cuneate or attenuate at the base into a distinct, 3–15 mm. long petiole; superior leaves of branches smaller, generally sessile.
Stamens c. 3.5–4.5 mm. long; filaments slender, fused for c. one quarter of their length to the pseudostaminodes; pseudostaminodes c. 1.5 mm. long, flabellate, dentate with a fimbriate dorsal scale; anthers narrowly oblong, c. 1 mm. long.
Annual herb with a slender taproot, erect, 40–90 cm. tall, with few to numerous opposite branches diverging at c. 45 degrees, the uppermost pair of branches with a sessile to shortly (to c. 3 cm.) pedunculate inflorescence between.
Bracts broadly ovate, 4.5–5.5 mm. long, furnished with appressed white hairs, rather abruptly acuminate, finely aristate with the long-excurrent midrib.
Branches of partial inflorescence and bases of bracteoles incrassate and lignescent in fruit, the whole forming a soft, silky-hairy, burr-like unit.
Fruit compressed-ovoid, c. 3 mm. long, apex concave with a distinct raised rim; seed brown, smooth and shining, c. 2 mm. long, finely reticulate.
Sterile flowers of 2 rapidly developing linear, bracteoliform processes densely clothed with long white hairs.
Ovary c. 2 mm. long, obpyriform, delicate below with a flat, firm apex; style slender, c. 1.5 7–2 mm. long.
Stem and branches quadrangular, thinly to more or less densely upwardly-appressed pilose.
